In 1920 Mrs Ella Mary Leather and Ralph Vaughan Williams jointly published "Twelve Traditional Carols from Herefordshire". Vaughan Williams arranged each of the carols twice: first, for unaccompanied choir (SATB); and second, for voice and piano.
The choral versions are recorded as a set in 2024 for the first time, coupled with the alternative settings for voice and piano, recorded in 2011.
The carols are performed with traditional words, not all of which follow the biblical canon, and they are by no means all about Christmas. As a consequence there are some unfamiliar carols and some new tunes for well-known carols.
In the first twelve tracks, William Vann directs the Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, in February 2024. The choir regularly records for Albion Records and featured on two very successful earlier Christmas collections: 'ALBCD035 A Vaughan Williams Christmas', and 'ALBCD050 An Oxford Christmas'. This year a new collection is released on 'ALBCD063 A Christmas Fantasia'.
Tracks 13 to 24 were recorded by bass-baritone Derek Welton, accompanied by pianist Iain Burnside at Potton Hall in 2011. Those tracks form part of a longer recital of folk-carols and folk-songs arranged by Vaughan Williams presented on 'ALBCD013 On Christmas Day'.
The conductor and pianist William Vann is recognised in particular for his acclaimed revivals of neglected works of British choral music and song and is Director of Music at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. His eight critically acclaimed recordings with that choir have included first recordings of works by Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams and his studio recordings of Parry's Judith and Prometheus Unbound have been awarded a host of accolades, including Gramophone's 'Recording of the Month'.
